Envelope-dispensing machine



April 29, 1930. H. B. WOODS ENVELOPE DISPENSING MACHINE Filed Jan. 8,1927 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1

April 29, 1930. H. B. WOODS ENVELOPE DISPENSING MACHINE Filed Jan. 8,1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WM] x Patented Apr. 29, 1930 s'rA Tas HAROLD 1B.WOODS, OF HUDSON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MES NE ASSIGN- MENIS, TOCONSOLIDATED AUTOMATIC MERCHANDISING CORPORATION, A CORPO- RATION OFDELAWARE ENVELOPE-DISPENSING MACHINE Application filed January 8, 1927.Serial No. 159,967.

This invention relates to means and methods of CllSPGIlSlllg envelopessingly, where the dispensing means is released by com controlled means,which normally prevents operation of the dispensing means.

It is considered that the most practical method of dispensing envelopesis to deliver them successively from the bottom of a stack thereof, andcertain machines, which have been designed to operate in this manner,have the envelopes stacked therein, flap down, and have means to engagethe envelope at the bottom of the fold between its flap and its body andpush it' from beneath the stack. While this arrangement may operatesatisfactorily under certain conditions, if the air becomes moist, thegummed portion of the flap is liable to adhere to thebody part, so that,when the separating device is operatedto pass inside the flap, it willbe prevented from so doing.

Also, much difliculty has been encountered in producing an envelopedispensing machine which cannot be pilfered thru the envelope deliveryopening.

The objects of my invention areto provide a method of dispensingenvelopes singly from a stack, and a machine which will efiectivelyoperate in accordance with suchv method, whereby the delivery of anenvelope without mutilation thereof will be insured, regardless ofthefact that the envelope flap may have become partly or wholly adhered tothe envelope body throughout itsgummed surface. Also to provide amachine which cannot be pilfered thru the delivery opening, and which ispositive in action and simple in construction.

. I accomplish these objects in the manner hereinafter described and asillustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a casing of a machine embodying theinvention.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation thereof with the rear wall removed.

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view at line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 5 and 6 are detail sectional views at line 55 of Fig. 1 on anenlarged scale. I

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view illustrating the action of thefollower.

Figs. 8, 9 and 13 are detail viewsillustrating the action of theseparator fingers, and

Fig. 12 is a perspective View of one of said fingers.

Figs. 10 and 11 are detail views of a coin intercepting device whichisemployed.

As shown in the drawing, the outer casing has vertical front, side andrear Walls arranged at right angles to each other, the front wall 1having a coinslot 2 therein and a coin return cup 3, at its bottom, anda chamber-4; being provided in one end to receive the coin controlledmechanism, not shown. The inner wall 5 of chamber 4 forms one end wallof the envelope magazine, which is provided within the casing, theopposite end wall being,

larly shaped to correspond with the enve lopes to be dispensed and ishorizontally arranged at a level to permit a stack ofenvelopes ofsuitable height to be placed in the machine. V The front wall 1 of thecasing has a rectangularly shaped opening in which two plate sections 12and 13, of corresponding shape, are secured to close the same, theadjacent horizontal edges of said'sec-tions being arranged to provide anenvelope delivery slot let therebetween of a length and height justsufficient to permit a single envelope only to pass edgewise therethruThe middle portions of said plate sections have semielliptically shapedprotuberences on their rear sides, at the middle portions of theiradjacent edges, which are recessed from the front and together form asingle depression, or recess 15, in the middle portion of the slot 14,the space provided by said recess at each side of the slot beingsufficient to permit insertion of the fingers of the operator, so as tograsp the edge portion of an envelope which has been passed into theportion of the slot which extends thru the recess, so as to draw theenvelope out thru the slot, as hereinafter explained. V

The upper plate section 13 has horizontal -flange 16 formed integrallytherewith, and

which extends rearward from the inner side thereof, with itslower: sideat the level of the upper side of the slot 1s, and meets the lower edgeof a vertical partition 10, which is fixed within the casing and formsthe front side of the magazine. The lower section has a similar flange17, whichextends rearwardly therefrom in parallel relation to flange 16,with its upper surface at the level of the under side ofslot l4 and ofthe bottom 11 of the magazine, so. that it practically forms anextension of the latter, said flanges 16 and 17 f the height 'ofsaidpassage in case the envelope tobe dispensed is of less thickness thannormal; The under surface of the upper guide flange 16 has upwardlyinclined. por+ tions 16, which extend from the horizontal middleportionthereof, at each side, to hori zontal end portions 16 the latterextending. "to. depending edge ribs 16, the inner sides of which actasguide faces for the envelopes when dispensed, as shown in 2 and 13.

' The separator device, for removing the bot tom envelope of the stackand delivering it to the operator of the machine,.comprises a flat plate20, which is slidably mounted in guide waysQl secured to the under sideof the bottom 11, and arranged to carry the plate to and from the frontside of the machine, a rod 22, having a handle 23 at its outer end,being connected toplate 20 and extending thru the front wall section 12,The bottom 11 is extended the full length of-the envelopes at its rearportion, and is notched, or reduced in length at each end and at itsfront portion, to receive fingers 24, which are formed in tegrally withthe separator plate 20 and extended upwardly therefrom in closeproximity tothe notched ends of the bottom, and thenhorizontally towardsthefront wall at level slightly above that of the top surface of thebottom, so that the vertical distance between the underside of thefingers and said surface is as great as, or slightly greater than thethickness of the envelope flap, The side edges of said fingers areparallel to. the ad.- iacent end edges of the bottdm and are held inclose proximity thereto, the width of said fingers corresponding to theextent to which the bottom is notched. The front edges 24 of saidfingers are perpendicular to'their sides and are arranged in alignmentand are dulled or rounded, so that they will not cut the envelopes. Theadjacent or inner corners of the fingers arerounded and beveled on theirundersides to a sharp edge, to formwedging portions 24*, as shown inFig. 12.

A follower is provided for the envelopes in the stack which consists ofa flat, rectangular shaped body 25 preferably of wood, or otherrelatively light material, shaped to fit the magazine loosely, andhaving a fiat metal projection 26 on its under side, which is of lessthan half the length and width of the body 25 and is arranged at themiddle of the latter close to its front edge so that, when the fol loweris in position on the stack of envelopes,. I r

which will be arranged, flap down, with their 7.

flaps next the front, nearly all of the weight thereof will be appliedto the envelopes directly over the middle of theflaps. 7 The e f? feetof this arrangement is not only to apply sufficient pressure to thestack to cause all the envelopes to be fed into position to bedispensed, but also, by applying excess pressureto the middle portion'atthe front edge, to. cause or permit the end portions to be turned upslightly, as indicated in Fig. v7. The thickness of the fingers 24 isapproximately equal to that ofthe envelopes, and as they are heldslightly above the level of the bottom 11 they support the envelopes sothat their end portions are slightly upturned.v The machine abovedescribed isv to be em.- ployed in connection with suitable coin-controlled mechanism, not shown, which prevents forward movement of theseparator to an extent sufficient to deliver an envelope, unless a coinof the required denomination has been inserted, and, in connectiontherewith, a coin intercepter is employed which causes the return of thecoin after the envelopes have been exhausted, which comprises a lever 27arranged in one side of the magazine near its bottom, so that, whilethere are any envelopes in the magazine, it will beheld in an inoperati-ve posit-ion thereby, as shown in Fig. 10, and when the last envelopehas been delivered the lower end of the lever 27 is permitted to swinginto a recess 25 in the follower, as shown in Fig. 11, in which positionits upper end will intercept any coin which is inserted and cause it tobe returned. 7 lVith the above described" construction the operation ofdelivering the envelopes is as fol lows: Assuming that the lockingmechanism of the separator hasbeen released and that the latter is inits extreme retracted position of Figs. 2, .3, 4 and 5,'the purchaserpulls on the handle 23, causing the separator to be moved forward untilthe ends of fingers 24 are close to the inner side of the front wall 1,hen in said retracted position, the body portion of the bottom enveloperests on the top sides of the fingers, the front edges 24* of which areat a short distance in the rear of the edge of.

the flap of the envelope, which will ordinarily be swung down below thefront edges of the fingers, so that, as the fingers are advanced vliquely from the corners to the middle, so

that the beveled corners 24 of the fingers will be passed over the flapin advance of the other portions thereof, as shown in Fig. 8. In casethe flap should adhere to the body, or should lie fiat thereagainst, thesharp beveled edge 24 of each finger, the fiat side of which bearsagainst the body, will deflect the flap away from the body, so that, oncontinued movement the finger will pass over the flap, as shown in Fig.9.

Ordinarily envelope flaps are not gummed close to their ends, and thefingers 24: are made of approximately the same width as the length ofthe ungummed portion thereof, so that, even if the gummed portion shouldadhere before the envelope is dispensed, the fingers will neverthelesspass readily between the fold and body. Their entry there between ismoreover made more certain by providing a form of follower which onlyapplies appreciable pressure at the middle portion of the envelopes, asthe fingers are there by enabled to pass over the flap more easily. Theturning up of the ends of the envelopes also tends to make the flapspring away from the body, so that the fingers may more readily passbeween the flap and the body, as indicated in Figs. 7 and 13.

In consequence the delivery of an envelope on each reciprocation of theseparator is insured.

As the return movement of the separator will preferably be causedby aspring, and as the operator is liable to release the handle 23 beforethe envelope is removed, means are provided for positively preventingthe envelope from being moved back with the separator, which consist ofa lug or projection 28, which is formed in the bottom, said proj'ectionhaving a vertical shoulder at its front side arranged to engage the rearedge of the envelope when it has been moved to delivering position andprevent it from belng moved backward.

With the above described construction the envelope passage from thefront to the magazine is of considerable length and the height thereofis only sufficient to permit the envelope to be carried or drawntherethru, and by providing the recess, or depression 1nto which'themiddle portion of the envelope is carried, it is unnecessary for thedeliveryv slot in the front wall to be-enlarged beyondwhat is necessaryto permit the envelope to be withdrawn, as no allowance has to be madefor the passage of the separator fingers therethru to deliver theenvelopes. Consequently pilferingof the machine, thru the de-. liveryslot, by the insertion of an instrument, is rendered practicallyimpossible.v I claim: w

1. An envelope dispensing machine comprising a support for a stack ofenvelopes arranged flap down, a separator reciprocally movable beneaththe stack and having a fiat horizontally disposed finger projectingforwardly at each end of said support and arranged to be passed betweenthe fiap and.

body of the bottom envelope in the stack at each end thereof as theseparator is moved forwardly, said fingers having aligned, end

faces for engagement with the bottom of the I fold between the flap andbody and having their under sides beveled to the adjacent ends of saidfaces to form a relatively sharp corner portion for separating theflap'from the body preliminarily.

2. An envelope dispensing machine comprising a casing having ahorizontally dis posed support for a stack of envelopes arranged withthe fiaps down, guide ways at each end of said support for the ends ofthe envelopes, a separator mounted to reciprocate in the direction ofsaid gulde ways and having a pair of fiat fingers extending horizontallyabove and closely adjacentthe surface of said support at each endthereof with .their opposite side edges in proximity to said 2 guideways, said fingers having end faces arranged in alignment for engagementwith the bottom of the fold between the flap and body. of the envelopesand having the end portions thereof at their adjacent edges beveled fromthe under side to provide a relatively sharp corner portion forseparating the flap from the body preliminarily. I

3. An envelope dispensing machine comprising a casing having ahorizontally disposed support for a stack of envelopes arranged with theflaps down, a separatoroforwardly movable beneath the stack havingfingers arranged .to' project horizontally forward in position to passbetween the flap and body of the bottom envelope and to engage thebottom of the fold therebetween, and a follower resting loosely on thetop of the stack and exerting a constant pressure there on, saidfollower comprising a device having a central under-face in a planebelow its sides, the weight of said device being chiefly concentratedupon said central under-face which 4. An envelope dispensing machinecomprising a casing having an upright front wall, s'aid Wall having afingerreceiving del pression therein and an'envelope' delivering slotextending thr-n the middle of the bot tom of said depression andterminating-in the wall portion at each side thereof, a magazine forholding a stack of envelopes flap down with the flap edge next thefront, said magazine having its bottom disposed at a sub- O-stantialdistance in the rear of said Wall and in substantial alignment with thebottom of the delivery slot. thereinto provide with said bottom a flatsupport for the lowermost envelope, and a separator having fingersarranged to engage the lowermost envelope on said bottom in the endportions of the fold sion therein and'a horizontally disposed onvelopedelivering slot extending thru the bottom thereof, a magazine Within thecasing v having a bottom for s qaporting a stack of envelopes, saidbottom having'an extension which extends to the lower edge of said slot,an upright partition forming the front side of the magazine disposed ata distance in the rear of said front Wall, a guide plateextending' fromthe lower end of said'partition to the upper side of said slot formingwith said bottomextension an envelope passagelead ing to said slotandmeans; for positively moving an envelope from said magazine' bottom thrusaid passage to a position in which its front edge portion extends intosaid depression;

"6-. An envelopedispensing machine comprising a support for a stack ofenvelopes, a separator reciprocally movable at one end of the stack andhaving a pair of fiat fingers projecting forward one from each end ofsaid support and arranged to be passed between the flap and the body ofthe outermost envelope' of the stack as the separator is reciprocated,said fingers having aligned end faces for e-ngagementof the bottom ofthe fold between the flap. and body, and having their sides beveled toform relatively sharp corner portions for'separating the flap from thebody preliminarily.

7; An envelope dispensing machine comprising a casing having a supportfor a stack of envelopes, guideways at each end of said support for theends of thevenvelopes, a separator mounted to reciprocate in thedirection of said guideways and-having a pair of fiat fingers extendingclosely adjacent to the surface of saidsupport at each e'ndthereof withtheir opposite side edges in proximity to said guideways, said fingershaving end faces arranged in alignment for engagement With the bottom ofthe fold between the flap and body of the envelopes and having the endportions thereof at their adjacent edges beveled to provide relativelysharp corner portions for separating the 'flaps from the eoY

